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Acne And Birth Control Pills: An Odd Couple

Although it is fairly well known that women may develop acne at different times during pregnancy, there is another curious fact that you may not be aware of.

Did you know that birth control pills could come in handy as a treatment for acne? Strange as it may seem, this is actually true, as a result you could ultimately find yourself going to your gynecologist for advice on how to treat your acne. So it turns out that certain aspects of acne need not concern a dermatologist!

Acne and birth control pills, how on earth does this work? Well, here is the story. The fact is that birth control pills have a number of uses. If you have been struggling with your acne problem and feel that you have exhausted every possible treatment option, there is hope for you yet. Birth control pills have come to the rescue, and what is more, using them in small quantities for the treatment of acne has actually been approved by the FDA!!

Birth control pills to control acne? The fact is that birth control pills are pretty versatile and have been found effective in controlling eruptions of acne. If that sounds unlikely, check out the facts for yourself. It may come as a pleasant surprise that birth control pills are effective in retarding the production of androgen before the onset of menstruation. That is pretty useful, considering that androgen makes the skin greasy, exposing you to an increased risk of developing acne.

Diane 35 is one such product, normally used for birth control, but also effective in treating acne, especially used along with topical antibacterial creams. Did you know that birth control pills can also help to minimize the unpleasant effects of estrogen, such as breast tenderness, nausea and headaches?

A wish come true for acne problems? All this is probably pretty good news for you if you suffer from acne. But before you get completely carried away with the notion that you have found the perfect solution to deal with your acne problem, stop and take stock. Because, as is the case with most things, there is a flip side to this wonderful news.

If you think that this is the perfect way to deal with your acne, there are a few facts that you should consider before you do anything drastic. The fact is that while birth control pills do offer a number of health benefits, in using them to control your acne, you could actually be exposing yourself to greater risks. So stop short and ask yourself whether your acne is really worth it.

A godsend for acne, not so fast! While you are marveling at your new discovery, you should also be aware of the grim truth. Because by using birth control pills to fight your acne, you could be endangering your health in other ways. Did you know that this seemingly wonderful choice will increase your chances of developing strokes, heart attacks, breast cancer and blood clots? And that is not all, you also have to cope with side effects that are decidedly unpleasant. Vaginal bleeding, depression, fluid retention etc.

Acne treatments, beware of side effects. Would you say that is a rather heavy price to pay, simply because you are looking for a solution to cure your acne? And while you are coping with these side effects, the acne will still be there, improving perhaps, but playing havoc with your system because of your choice of treatment. Spironolactone and corticosteroids are two choices that you would be better off without if you are looking to cure your acne problem.

However, if you are pregnant, be careful. While you are concentrating on how your acne is responding to it, your male fetus may actually be developing feminine characteristics. As far as corticosteroids are concerned, there is no guarantee of success in treating your acne this way. You may even find that it is getting worse.

Faced with such critical issues, the best thing you can do is to seek the advice of your dermatologist and your doctor. Both should be able to help you find the best way out of your acne problem.